title: ED visits for drug-related poisoning in the United States, 2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fatal drug-related poisoning has been well described. However, death data only show the tip of the iceberg of drug-related poisoning as a public health problem. Using the 2007 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, this study described the characteristics of emergency department visits for drug-related poisoning in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Any ED visit that had an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code of 960-979 was defined as a drug-related poisoning case. Intentionality of poisoning was determined by E-codes. Weighted estimates of ED visits were calculated by patient and hospital characteristics, intentionality of poisoning, and selected drug classes. Population rates by sex, age, urban/rural classification, median household income in patient's zip code, and hospital region were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An estimated 699 123 (95% confidence interval, 666 529-731 717) ED visits for drug-related poisoning occurred in 2007. Children 0 to 5 years old had the highest rate for unintentional poisoning (male, 237 per 100 000; female, 218 per 100 000). The rate of drug-related poisoning in rural areas (684 per 100 000) was 3 times higher than the rates in other areas. Psychotropic agents and analgesics were responsible for 43.7% of all drug-related poisoning. Women 18 to 20 years old had the highest ED visit rate for suicidal poisoning (245 per 100 000). The estimated ED charges were $1 394 051 262, and 41.1% were paid by Medicaid and Medicare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antidepressants and analgesics were responsible for nearly 44% of ED visits for drug-related poisoning in the United States. Interventions and future research should target prescription opioids, rural areas, children 0 to 5 years old for unintentional drug-related poisoning, and female ages 12 to 24 years for suicidal drug-related poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
authors.forename: Yuxi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Weiyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Huiyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D000700:Analgesics / Q000506:poisoning; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000506:poisoning; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000928:Antidepressive Agents